


Minute Zero

by 100demons



Category: Marvel, Marvel 616, Young Avengers
Genre: Canon - Comics, Canon Compliant, Canon Gay Character, Gen, Gen Fic, Pre-Canon, Pre-Series, Teen Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-08-30
Updated: 2011-08-30
Packaged: 2017-10-23 06:43:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,616
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/247339
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/100demons/pseuds/100demons
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Teddy Altman joins the Young Avengers. [pre-series]</p>
            </blockquote>





	Minute Zero

"We good?"

The back of Teddy's eyes prickled a little and his chest grew tight, like the air was slowly being sucked out of him. He looked down at the dirty cement sidewalk, eyes randomly tracing lines between all the dried patches of gum. The image frowned back disapprovingly, the tips of its gum-patch mouth turning down.

"Yeah," Teddy said smoothly, discreetly wiping down his sweaty palms on his slacks. "We're good to go."

"Dude, alright," Greg grinned, slapping his hand lightly against Teddy's shoulder, his dark eyes glittering. "This is gonna be perfect." Teddy watched the way Greg licked his lips, the tip of his tongue gliding over the full edges of his mouth.

"Yeah, perfect," Teddy echoed softly, and ran a hand through his dark hair.

"C'mon Mr. Stark," Greg snickered, waving his arms in a mock bow, "We've got a party to crash."

\---

  
"Hey sweetie," Sarah called out softly, her feet propped up on the large coffee table. "You're home early today."

"Coach cancelled practice today," Teddy shrugged, slinging his bag onto the couch before he caught sight of her disapproving face. He sheepishly picked up his bag again and placed it properly on a kitchen chair.

"Soon as you're done with your work, we can go out tonight. Your pick." Sarah hummed something nondescript, setting People to the side and picking up Vogue.

"The Tribeca apartment sold?" Teddy muttered absently as he shuffled around the kitchen, searching for a clean glass.

"No, but I'm hoping it will. You know--" She paused and closed the magazine, using a well-manicured finger to mark her place. "I got a call from Mr. Andersen today."

The cold glass clinked against the hard granite counter, juice trickling down its sides. It pooled down onto the cold stone, a dull orange sort of puddle that reflected back a distorted image of his current face. Dark blond hair, a nose that looked sharp enough to cut, a strong jaw that he'd seen in his Dad's photos. _His spitting image_ , his mom had smiled last summer, eyes filled old memories and ghosts. She had ruffled his hair and straightened his tie, hands trembling slightly.

"Oh." Teddy's hand tightened into fists and he swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing. His voice was even and tempered. "What'd he say?"

"I didn't know you'd quit the team. He asked me if there was any trouble going on at home--"

Teddy started emptying the glass, watching the bright orange liquid trickle down the drain. He wasn't in the mood for orange juice anymore. "I didn't want to, you know. It didn't seem like that big of a deal--"

"Did you fight with Greg?" Teddy whipped around, flinching a little under his mother's unreadable gaze, who had somehow moved from the couch and to the kitchen without him noticing. His mouth went dry and he licked his lips reflexively, watching the way his mother stood. Studying it. _Stop it_ , his mind scolded at him. _You're not doing that anymore. You're not changing, so stop doing that._

Sarah's eyes softened and she walked over to Teddy, ruffling his blond hair. "It's okay, sweetie. You did look like you needed a little time off from the game anyway, but you didn't have to hide it from me. And I never really liked--"

His throat tightened and Teddy fought the urge to look away. "It's fine," he responded lightly. "I just don't want to play basketball anymore; it doesn't have anything to do with Greg. We're good."

Sarah pursed her lips and looked up at him, her blue eyes piercing. _Dumbledore eyes,_ he had once joked at her and Sarah had smacked him with a pillow, protesting that she looked far better than an ancient wizard and he better not be insinuating anything. "If you say so," she said slowly, before turning back towards the living room.

"Yeah," Teddy grinned carefully, perfected by years and years of small-talk with his reflection. "So, how about Shake Shack? If we go now, we can wait and get our food by the time we normally eat."

"But if we go to Noodle House--"

"My choice," Teddy reminded her, switching to a pleading look that had won him an extension on his English paper last week; Greg had said Mrs. Bro- _Don't think about him_ , he thought fiercely, gripping the wet glass tightly. _Don't._

"Fine, fine. But only if you wait." Sarah groaned and pulled her purse off of the coat rack. "And you're paying for the smoothies out of your pocket."

Teddy nodded absently and turned to put away the glass when his fingers hit something rough and jagged-- a close look at the cup showed a long and deep hairline crack running down the side. If he had pressed any harder, the glass would have shattered in his hand.

\----

Teddy slammed his locker shut, the lock clicking with a hard finality. He casually pulled himself to his feet and swung his bag over a shoulder; he gave a cool nod and a small smile to everyone he passed, his eyes unreadable. Teddy knew what he was getting into-- at least, he thought he had knew.

Greg had been everything for him. Someone who had helped open doors and bring smiles and acceptance. He was--

 _"Who do you think they'll believe? The class president? Or the mutant skrull?"_

Teddy kept his smile up and continued walking smoothly down the hallway. The science lab loomed closer and closer and breathing seemed to get harder, like the air was made of thick molasses; it refused to go down his throat. In fact it threatened to choke him slowly, with every person in the school watching his movements. Teddy clenched his fist involuntarily, knuckles whitening.

There was the door.

His hands seemed to move of their own accord and pushed it open, the chemical-heavy air hitting his nose with the force of a two-ton truck. He fought the urge to wrinkle his nose for the thousandth time and instead schooled his face into a perfectly bland expression. He couldn’t afford to act differently-- not today of all days.

He slipped easily into his seat in the back and sighed in relief when he saw that Greg wasn’t in the room yet. _Maybe he’s cutting today, he hoped cautiously. Maybe he--_

Teddy could hear someone laughing before the door to the lab swung open again, this time revealing two boys, one with dark hair and the other with blond. _He’s replaced me already_ , he thought slowly, watching Greg and the new boy walk over to a table near the windows, laughing loudly and punching shoulders. _He’s replaced me already_. His heart squeezed painfully and Teddy held his breath, his vision slowly clouding. When he closed his eyes, he felt something hot and wet trickle down his face; with a shaking hand, he touched a wet cheek and drew back quickly, as if the tears had burned his fingers.

 _I can’t-- I can’t-- not in front of everybody-- I can’t--_

“Nah- my folks’re gone for the weekend so the house is empty. Come over tomorrow night, I can show you around, shoot some hoops.”

Greg’s voice ground harshly in Teddy’s ears and he froze, unconsciously shifting his ears to better catch the conversation.

“--sounds awesome! My dad’ll be totally cool with it. Is uh-- is anyone else going to--”

“No.”

“Oh-- I just thought-- your other fr--”

“I mean, it’s not like I’m throwing a party or something. _That’s_ next week.”

Teddy drew in a ragged breath and scrubbed his face with the back of his arm. _It’s like I don’t even exist to him anymore_ , he thought shakily, _like he’s erased me from his life. I’m_ nothing _to him now_. He bit his bottom lip hard enough to taste the coppery tang of blood on his tongue and tried to ignore the other niggling thought in the back of his head: _I’m nothing_ without _him now._

\---

  
“Five dollars,” the man said slowly, clearly bored with the entire exchange.

“Yeah, hang on a sec--” Teddy rummaged around in his backpack, fishing for his wallet. In the dim streetlight he could see the dull flash of red and blue in his bag and he triumphantly pulled out his Captain America wallet; Teddy handed over a crumpled five and accepted a heavy plastic bag in return. His stomach growled impatiently as he inhaled the heady smell of chicken and rice, and he turned to walk away before the man spoke up again.

“What’s this?”

“What?”

The street vendor held up a dingy and crumpled piece of paper in the air, quirking a brow. “What’s this piece of paper?”

 _“Actually...it’s Iron Lad.”_

Teddy blanched and snatched the paper from the vendor’s hand, muttering apologies. He must have passed along the paper and the money at the same time without realizing it. The paper felt rough against his hands, the letters blurred by creases and water stains.

“A girl’s number?” The man peered curiously, raising his bushy brows in amusement.

“Not exactly,” Teddy smiled slowly, folding and tucking the paper away into his shirt pocket. “A...friend’s.”

\---

“I’ve been expecting your call.”

Teddy slowly flipped the paper in his hands and rolled his eyes, barely restraining the urge to snort. _Someone should tell him to lay off the mysticism crap_ , he mused.

“I- I’m only doing this on a trial basis. Just in--”

“Tomorrow night at Bryant Park. We’ll be waiting for you in front of the fountain at six. Don’t be late.”

The call disconnected suddenly and Teddy was left staring at his phone, heart racing. _A superhero_ , he marvelled suddenly. _I’m not a freak, I’m a_ hero.


End file.
